


Before Dawn

by everystareverywhere



Category: Once Upon A Time - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-05-30 03:32:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15088085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everystareverywhere/pseuds/everystareverywhere
Summary: Emma Swan and Killian Jones only had one thing in common: Emma's best friend and Killian's brother were dating. But Emma and Killian could not get along. That was, until the day they had to work together through a tragedy that no one saw coming.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’ve been in the mist of writing this particular story for almost two years. And I’m hoping that if I have support, I’ll be more motivated to finish it. So my story is based off of the movie "Life As We Know It" starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. And below is the first chapter. I hope you enjoy.

He was late.

Emma Swan looked down at her wristwatch before sighing heavily and laying her head on the back of her chair. If it was any other guy, she would have just shrugged it off and moved on with her night, with her life. And if he showed up, she would have just slammed the door in his face and that would be that.

But with him it was different. This blind date was different than any other, only because her best friend set it up.

Elsa Arendelle was Emma’s best friend and closet companion. They have been through so much together. Emma knew she could depend on Elsa for anything, big or small, and vice versa. But Elsa knew that when it came to dating, to let Emma do her own thing and be there with the Netflix and chocolate if things didn’t work out. But when she suggested a blind date, Emma was hesitate, as was her nature.

“He’s  _perfect_  for you Emma. Honestly, I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before,” she told Emma a week ago, when the idea popped into her head. They were watching some show where the lead actor had amazing blue eyes. Emma was gushing about them when Elsa piped up that her boyfriend’s brother, Killian, had amazing blue eyes too.

“He’s exactly what you need, Emma He’s smart, well-educated, a total hottie. He’s a catch, really.”

“If he’s such a catch, why isn’t he with anyone?”

She shrugged. “Maybe ‘cause he’s waiting to meet you,” the hopeless romantic replied.

Elsa got Emma on board, and Elsa’s boyfriend, Liam, spoke to Killian, who was willing to go on the date. Now it was a week later, and the date was suppose to start an hour ago.

Emma wanted to forget the whole thing entirely, sick of ignoring Elsa’s endless questions of “ _How is it???_ ” via text and of wearing that pale pink dress. Her heels were kicked off long ago, and she was in fact eating a pop tart when her doorbell finally rang.

She walked slowly to the door, so slowly in fact that it rang again. “Oh,  _now_  you’re in a hurry?” she muttered under her breath as she reached the doorknob. Opening it, she saw who must be Killian Jones on the other side. He was handsome, no way around that. He had pitch-black hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a leather jacket, a button-down shirt under a waistcoat, with tight black jeans and boots. Emma hated to admit that he certainly was her type, but the fact that he was ridiculously late was a turnoff. And his smirk did nothing to cheer her up.

“You must be Emma Swan,” he said in a British accent. She wasn’t surprised, since she knew Liam came from London.

“And you’re Killian?” she asked, folding her arms in front of her. She was only speaking to him because he was Liam’s brother and Elsa set this up. Otherwise, she would have told him to go screw himself and shut the door in his face.

His smirk got more wicked, and Emma had to fight the urge to slam the door in his face. “I am that, lass. So are you ready?”

“I’ve  _been_  ready,” Emma replied before turning to put on her heels and grab her purse.

“Oh? Am I late?”

“Only an hour.” She closed the door and wondered why she didn’t just have Killian meet her at the restaurant.

“Really?” he sounded surprised as he looked at his watch. “Oh. Looks like I am. Sorry, love.”

“It’s Emma,” she said sternly as they walked.

“I know.”

“Not  _love_. Not  _lass_. Em-ma.”

“I do know how to pronounce your name,” he replied, more harshly than he probably intended.

“But apparently you can’t read a clock?”

He shrugged. “I lost track of time, so sue me.”

“What do you do that you would lose track of time  _that_  badly?” she asked as he walked over to a motorcycle. “Where’s your car?”

He patted the seat of the bike. “Don’t own one. But I do have this lovely lass.” He held out a helmet towards her. “Here.”

“No way. There is no way I can get on that bike.” A part of Emma actually wanted to jump on that bike, but considering that up until now he was nothing but an ass to her, she wouldn’t go near that thing, even if he paid her. “Look at me! I’m not exactly dressed for a motorcycle.”

He made a show of looking her up and down. She rolled her eyes. “I don’t see the problem,” he said.

“I can’t get my legs across that damn thing. No way, we’re taking my car.”

She turned around and walked towards the yellow Volkswagen. He put the helmet back in the compartment and walked towards her. “Are you being serious?”

“Yes, I can’t get on that bike. So I’ll drive.” She opened her car door and got in. Leaning over, she unlocked his door and he opened it before getting in as well. “So, where are we going?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “You didn’t pick out a place?”

“I thought  _you_  did.”

“Well, wherever, I’m flexible.”

She was sure that if she said that, he would have made an innuendo. However, she continued with “How about Granny’s?”

“Yep. Sounds good.”

Emma pulled out of her spot as she said, “You’re new in town, aren’t you?”

“Aye. Just moved in a couple of weeks ago.”

“You were telling me earlier about where you worked. And why you were so distracted you lost track of time.”

“I’m a bartender. But I didn’t work tonight.”

Emma’s eyes narrowed and suddenly her detective skills were going off.  "So what got you so distracted?“

"Do you always ask a hundred questions? Am I being interrogated?”

“I am a cop.”

He immediately put his seatbelt on. “Are you really?”

“Yes. Now answer the question.”

That damn smirk was back. “I don’t think I need to answer a question without a lawyer present.”

“Should we call Elsa now or later?”

“How do you know Elsa?” he asked, trying to distract her.

“She’s my best friend. Answer the question, what got you so distracted you were an hour late?”

“Your best friend and my brother, hmmm.” Once again he dodged the actually question and instead changed the topic. His list of offensives was getting longer and longer. “We might be seeing more of each other in the future.”

Emma huffed against the seat, hating the fact that he kept dodging her questions, but also that he was right. With how serious Elsa and Liam were getting, it was painfully obvious that she and Killian were going to see more and more of each other. Something that she was starting to regret.

He never answered her question on why he was so late, but if she had to guess it was because he was with another woman. Halfway through their meal, he got a call and though he was whispering, she heard him say the words “love” and “10:30,” so she figured he was making more plans with another woman. Emma wanted once more to just walk out on him, but she owed Elsa everything. And though this date with this jerk was not enough to pay her back for everything Elsa has done for her, Emma figured that right now it was least she could do.

However, when he had her pay half of the bill, Emma realized she never wanted to see Killian Jones again.

When they finally got back to her apartment, he jumped out of the car without a glance back and hopped on his bike. Not a minute later, his engine was roaring and he was tearing down the street. Emma, still in her car, shook her head and pulled out her phone.

“Hello?”

“How in hell did you think he was right for me?!” Emma finally asked the question that was burning in her mind for the last hour and a half.

“It didn’t go well?”

“That’s putting it mildly. It was disastrous. If I ever see him again, it’ll be too soon.”

**One Year Later**

Emma wiped the tear off her cheek as she watched Elsa and Liam kiss for the first time as husband and wife. The ceremony was beautiful, Elsa looked gorgeous, and Liam looked so handsome in his tux. They had a huge wedding, with well over two hundred people in attendance. It wasn’t exactly what Emma would have picked out, but this wasn’t about her. It was about Elsa and Liam and their start of happily ever after. Not that Emma truly believed in happily-ever-afters, but if she did, she would totally believe it for her best friend and her now husband.

“Pictures!” Anna, Elsa’s younger sister, yelled grabbing her boyfriend’s arm and pulling him towards the bride and groom later when everyone arrived at the reception hall. Elsa was Emma’s closet friend, so of course she knew Anna and her quirkiness. Anna was four years younger than Elsa, and at the ripe age of 18 felt she was indestructible. Then again, Anna always was reckless in the most innocent of ways, if such a thing was possible. She looked nothing like her older sister. Anna had light brown hair, almost ginger, with great big green eyes and freckles dusting her nose and cheeks. Elsa and Emma looked more like sisters, both tall and thin with striking blonde hair. Only, Elsa’s was natural while Emma’s was dyed.

“Hans,” Anna said to her boyfriend, pushing him close to Liam. “Stand here, next to the groom and I’ll stand over here!” She picked up her dress and ran to the other side of the bride, whose smile could light a city at this point. The four of them smiled for the photographer before he asked for family and then the bride and groom party.

Emma stood next to Elsa, being her maid-of-honor and all, and hugged her quickly. “Oh, I wish you and Liam every chance of happiness.”

“Thank you, Emma,” she replied pulling back. “I’m so happy you are here.”

“Where else would I be on my best friend’s wedding day?”

Elsa’s smile could not be contained and she once more grabbed Emma in a tight hug. The photographer snapped his photo of this, and years later this picture would be next to Emma’s nightstand. But for now, it was a sweet moment between two close friends.

When they pulled apart, Elsa and Emma turned when they heard someone coughing delicately next to them. “Killian!” Elsa said happily, wrapping her arms around her new brother-in-law. Emma knew Killian was going to be there, it wasn’t a shock. He was, after all, the groom’s brother and best man. Their reunion was more like a moment of dread.

“Elsa, beautiful as always,” he smiled at her, totally ignoring Emma (who was kind of okay with that, but at the same time hating him all the more).

“Oh, Killian, thank you. And where’s Milah?”

“Oh, somewhere around. I’ll find her in a bit.”  

“Killian, you remember Emma.”

Killian turned to look at Emma for the first time since he walked up. Emma tried to remain stone face, to make sure that nothing gave away how much she wanted to smack him. Though that night was long over, Emma would never forget just how plain  _rude_  he was to her, like she didn’t matter in the long run, so why bother?

Killian, meanwhile, smiled at her. “Emma. Of course. How are you?”

She was  _so_  not going to make small talk with him. “Fine.”

His smile faded a bit, and he quirked an eyebrow.

“Picture!” the photographer said.

Killian winked at her (the  _nerve_!) before walking towards Liam. The photographer wanted Liam and Elsa in the middle of the group, men behind the women. And since Emma was the maid-of-honor and Killian was the best man, he of course stood right behind her.

“You look great,” he whispered in her ear. His breath made goosebumps on her neck and shoulder and she hated him more.

“Shut up,” she muttered back.

“I’m just trying to be a gentleman, Swan, no need to get your panties in a twist.”

She wanted to roll her eyes so badly. He thought he was all charm, didn’t he? Say something charming, give a wink, and girls will just fall at his feet. Well, not this girl.

“You, sir, are no gentleman.”

“I’m wounded.”

“Okay, everyone smile!” the photographer yelled when everyone was in place.

It would have been a beautiful shot if Killian hadn’t decide at that moment to pitch Emma on the ass.

She shrieked, making everyone look at her, and hit Killian repeatedly with her bouquet as the jerk smiled.

**Two Years Later**

Emma bounded up the three steps, a present wrapped in her arms. Using her keys, she opened the door to Elsa and Liam's house, smiling as she heard the music and chatter coming from the backyard. Placing the keys back in her purse, Emma made her way, greeting people she knew as she walked. She waved at Elsa's neighbors, Mary Margaret and David Nolan. They were a lovely couple, one that Emma had met a few times now. They were generous and kind, making sure that Elsa and Liam had everything they could possibly need. Even though they were only two or three years older than Elsa and Emma, Mary Margaret and David were almost like parents. Not in an overbearing sort-of-way, but more like they wanted to make-sure-you-had-everything-you-needed sort-of-way. When she finally saw Elsa, Emma shrieked with happiness and ran over, placing the present on a table as she went. 

“Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?” Emma happily asked as she noticed the baby in Elsa’s arms.

“Emma! You made it!” Elsa said, giving Emma a kiss on the cheek before handing the baby to Emma.

“Of course I did! I wasn’t going to miss my godson’s first birthday!” Emma snuggled the baby closer, and since he saw Emma frequently, he didn’t cry but instead smiled at his godmother.  "Oh, Henry, how big you’ve gotten!“

Elsa rubbed her tired arms. "Oh Emma, you only saw him two days ago.”

“And he’s gotten so big! I’m telling you, you may need to start putting him in 14 months. He’s tall, like his mommy.”

Henry, tired of being held, started to squirm in Emma’s arms. She gently put him down on the grass. He slowly stood up and took a few steps before falling knees first into the grass. Undeterred, he got back up and tottered away.

“He looks just like his father,” Elsa said before sitting in a chair.

Emma sat down beside her. It’s true that Henry had his father’s dark brown hair and nose, but he certainly got his mother’s ears and smile. “Where did the brown eyes come from?”

“Liam’s father. Apparently he had brown eyes.”

“Apparently?”

“Liam and Killian’s father abandoned them. I told you that. Didn’t I?”

Emma shook her head silently. She knew what it felt like to be abandoned, especially by a parent. For a moment, she let herself wallow in pity before shaking it off and smiling. This was a happy day, one for celebration. Not for remembering a dark past.

Emma looked around the spacious backyard. It was filled with people, and food, and birthday supplies, like blue and green balloons, and pirate ships. The theme was full on pirates, something that Liam insisted on. Since Liam worked by the ocean, and he and his brother grew up near it, it was no wonder that he loved it so. He wanted to get a house near the water, but there were none in their price range. Instead they found a lovely second story building that had a balcony that, off in the distance, one could see the water. It was clearly enough for Liam, since he hardly complained about wanting to move closer to the water.

Emma asked Elsa if she wanted anything to drink. “Some wine please.” Then she whispered, “If I have to sit through this whole evening with a big smile, I’m going to need something to tie me over.”

Emma grinned before patting her friend’s hand gently and getting up to get a glass of wine for both of them.

“Emma Swan, as I live and breathe.”

Emma closed her eyes before turning around. “Killian Jones. And how are you?”

“I’m free again,” he said, referring to the awful divorce he went through with his now ex-wife. Though he barely spoke about it to Emma, she heard all the details through Elsa. And as much as it pains her to say it, Killian was not stupid. He knew that Emma and Elsa would talk.

“And all is right with the world once more.” Emma turned around and got two cups.

She and Killian came to a truce during Elsa and Liam’s first anniversary. They couldn’t deny that they were going to be constantly around each other. Of course that was going to happen when his brother and her best friend married. And for the sake of their loved ones, they put on a good face. But they couldn’t deny that they barely tolerated each other.

But now it wasn’t just Elsa and Liam. It was little Henry Jones. Henry wasn’t only the light in his parents’ eyes, but the light in his godparents as well. Killian visited as often as he could to play with his nephew and take him out to the park (where the women just hit on him, which was an added bonus). Emma loved buying him clothes and cuddling every chance she got. Besides loving their respected in-laws, Killian and Emma agreed on one thing: Henry. So for him, they could be civil towards each other. It was well worth it, in the end.

Emma poured her wine and returned to Elsa as Killian picked Henry up and had him ride on his shoulders. When Liam announced cake, the birthday boy sat in his highchair, a small cake in front of him that read “HENRY TURNS ONE!” on it. The proud parents took selfies with their baby before asking Emma to take a shot of them. Then Elsa said, “I need a picture of the godparents with Henry,” and Emma and Killian both got down low enough to be next to the highchair. Henry’s face was covered in cake, his arms a filthy mess, but his godparents were so happy and so was everyone around them.

Emma remembers that night often, thinking back to all the smiles and laughter. Sure Henry had a massive fit coming down from his sugar high, but when she thinks back on that night, that point in the evening never comes up. It’s always the small talk with Killian, or the laughter with Elsa, or the dancing with Liam. It’s holding Henry as he babbled away, grabbing her hair and pulling. It’s Elsa tearing up with laughter as she opened a gift that was a pair of Ravenclaw socks for babies.

Because that was the last time anyone smiled for a long, long time.  


	2. Chapter 2

**Two Months Later**

Emma smiled as her boyfriend, Walsh, leaned across the table, gently taking her hand in his.

"You are an amazing woman, Emma Swan," Walsh smiled. She and Walsh had been going out for the last four months, and though Emma really didn't believe in love at first sight, or any kind of nonsense like that, she was smitten with him. He was just that kind of guy; charming to a fault, but also kind and considerate. He loved spending quiet time with Emma, but also loved being around Liam and Elsa (he's never met Killian; Emma felt he didn't need that kind of torture). With his shaggy brown hair and warm brown eyes, _he_ was exactly what Emma needed and wanted. Elsa saw that the first time Emma brought him to her house from BBQ. Walsh and Liam got along wonderfully, and even Henry seemed to like him -  though to be fair, Henry likes everyone, but still. It was nice that Walsh could fit into her little life. It meant a lot.

"I know," she smiled back, tilting her head to the side. They had just finished dinner and the waitress asked if they wanted desert.

"I can't eat another bite," Emma replied, leaning back and rubbing her hand over her completely full stomach.

"Oh, come on! You have to have their ice cream! You love the ice cream here."

That was true, but still..."Walsh, I couldn't."

"Fine, I'll take the ice cream."

After he told her what flavor he wanted and the waitress walked away, Walsh excused himself to go to the bathroom. Emma was fiddling with her phone, checking Facebook and Instragram when he returned. "Everything alright with work?"

"Yeah, yeah. I haven't been assigned a new case yet."

"You will be soon."

"Well, I just closed one today."

"And that is why you are the best detective here in Storybrooke."

Emma gave a small chuckle. "I wish that felt like a big victory, but...I want to go where there is real detective work. Like in New York. Or Boston."

"You want to leave Elsa? And Henry?"

She shrugged. "It's a dream right now. I'm sure that I'm not gonna..." Just then her cell phone rang. Usually she would ignore it, because she was on a date with Walsh and it wasn't her work ringtone. But it was Anna's face that appeared on the screen. And Anna _rarely_ called Emma. And right then, Emma's stomach dropped.

"I should take this," she muttered before picking up and phone and turning slightly to the side before swiping her finger along the bottom. "Hello?"

"Emma?" Though it was Anna's voice, it...wasn't. Because Anna was usually chipper to the point where you wanted to tie her down and read her horrible stories about how magic really works in Disney World until she loses that innocence. But right now it sounded like she had found it all on her own. "Emma...I can't..."

She's crying. Why was she crying?

"Anna? What is it? Are you okay? Is it Henry?" Oh no, please let it not be Henry. Please say Henry is fine. Because Elsa and Liam would lose it if something happened to Henry.

"He's..." Anna sobbed so loud, Emma pulled the phone away from her ear, but she quickly replaced it, in case she continued talking. Emma wanted to jump out of the chair and start pacing, but since she was in a public place, she couldn't. But her body wanted to move while her mind was trying to focus on Anna.

"Anna? Anna, is it Henry? Is he okay?" Emma asked, anxious. Anna was not answering her questions and she was starting to freak out.

"Henry's...he's fine...but Emma...Come to the hospital. Now!" Before she can say another word, Anna hung up.

Emma slowly lowered the phone, Walsh's ice cream placed in front of her on a lovely dish. But she barely saw it before she gathered up her belongings. "I need to go."

"I gathered," Walsh said, signaling to the waitress for the check. "Is Henry alright?"

"I don't...Yes, he's okay. But I don't understand why she called. I need to go to the hospital."

"Wait, I'll drive you."

Emma stood up, ready to run out of there and run to the hospital if she had to. "Walsh, I can't--"

"I'll take you. You're in no condition to drive." The waitress appeared with the check. Walsh handed her his credit card and said, "We need to leave now, so hurry up." Usually he's so considerate to waiters and waitresses, but he knows that Emma's in a rush.

"It has be something to do with Elsa," Emma says, trying to figure out what got Anna so upset. "If it's not Henry, than it's Elsa. It has to be."

The waitress returned with the receipt and Walsh signed it before the two of them ran out of the restaurant and towards his car.

The drive to the hospital took forever, but they were also there in record time. Emma ran towards the doors when she saw someone running out of the corner of her eye. She didn't stop, even when she recognized Killian's profile. When he saw her, he came closer before asking, "Henry?"

She knew what he was asking: was Henry hurt? She shook her head. "I don't think so."

Walsh was right behind the two of them as they entered the hospital. Emma and Killian went straight to the front desk. They spoke at the same time. "I want to see my brother, Liam Jones." "I need information on Elsa Jones."

The nurse looked at the two of them. "You must be the family members. Let me page the doctor for you." She turned around and picked up the phone.

"This is not good," Emma whispered. "If we need to talk to a special doctor, this is not good."

"Think positive Emma. They could be in a minor accident. Anna is a bit overdramatic."

Killian turned to look at Walsh, but didn't say anything. At that moment, the nurse turned around and said, "Dr. Whale is on the third floor."

The three of them went speeding towards the elevators. But they were taking too long, and Emma was jumpy, so when she saw the staircase, she went towards them instead. She thought that she heard Walsh and Killian behind her, but she wasn't certain. Everything felt like a dream, a really awful dream where you can't wake up. It felt fuzzy and uncertain and all Emma wanted to do was going back to the restaurant with Walsh and finish their date.

But when she threw open the door and saw Anna sobbing into her friend's shoulder, she knew that life was about to change forever.

Anna could barely speak, but her friend, Kris, filled them in. Elsa and Liam were in a terrible car accident. Their car slid and went over a bridge. Another car saw them go over and called the ambulance, but both of them were unresponsive when they were brought in. Henry was not in the car; he was at home, currently sleeping in his bed, a neighbor watching him.

Emma barely heard the words coming out of Kris's mouth. She heard their names and "car accident" and everything went fuzzy. She grabbed onto someone, she wasn't sure who, who helped her sit down. Her legs felt weak and her brain was numb and she just sat there, staring off into nothing. Because she couldn't lose Elsa. Elsa was the only family she had. She had literally no one but her.

Killian sat beside her, but she felt him rather than saw him. He leaned forward and rubbed his hands against his face before standing up and screaming, "Fucking hell!" as loud as he could. If people stopped and starred at him, Emma didn't know. She only heard the sound of his voice, not the actual words.

But she couldn't lose Elsa. She just couldn't.

When Dr. Whale walked into the hallway, Emma could feel the Earth beneath her feet moving and she had nothing to hold on to. Because he told her the one thing she did not want to hear.

"I'm sorry. We did everything we could."

Anna screamed. Killian collapsed. And Emma pulled herself up in a ball and wept. She wept for Liam Jones, the most wonderful (sort of) brother-in-law a woman could ask for. She wept for Elsa, her best friend, her almost sister. They were going to travel the world together. They were going to live next door to each other and have a special pathway put in so someone could get from one house to the other easily. Their children were going to grow up together.

And now she was gone.

Both of them.

Elsa and Liam Jones were dead.

Oh God, what about Henry?

What was going to happen to him? He was an orphan. Two hours ago he was a part of a loving family, one that would do anything to protect him. Now? Now he was an orphan before he could even talk.

Emma knew what that was like, and it was the most awful feeling in the world. The only difference between Henry and Emma is that Henry's family didn't leave him by choice. Emma's did.

But now wasn't the time to wallow in pity. Now she had to help Anna plan not one funeral, but two.

Emma's nights and days became a huge blur. She helped Killian and Anna set up the funerals, and the wake, and what should they bury Elsa and Liam in? She helped take care of Henry, but she was so out of it, a neighbor more often than not took care of him. Anna and Kris were staying with him until they spoke to the lawyer. Even though Elsa and Liam were so young (just over 25), they did in fact have a will. Emma remembered Elsa insisting she and Liam get one when they found out she was pregnant with Henry. " _Better safe than sorry_ ," she had said.

Unfortunately, she was right.

The day before the funeral, Anna called Emma to say that the lawyer wanted to speak to Emma at her earliest convenience. Emma wrote down the office address before hanging up.

She looked at her own handwriting. _Archie Hopper_. What an odd name. Emma wasn't certain why she was so focused on the name, so much so that she sort of just zoned out for a moment.

"Hey, you okay?" someone asked her.

She looked up to see Mary Margaret Nolan and her husband David looking down at her. Mary Margaret and David were Elsa and Liam's neighbors. Emma has of course met them numerous times, and they were certainly nice enough. Slightly older that Emma (by maybe two years), they were married straight out of college and have been by each other's side all the time. Emma wasn't certain whether she has ever seen one without the other.

Mary Margaret was a pretty woman, with a pixie cut black hair and bright green eyes. And she had a full face, though the fact that she was seven months pregnant might have helped with that. And her husband David was the picture boy for the Boy-Next-Door trope. He had sandy colored hair that was always cut short and blue eyes. Both of them were extremely easy to talk to.

"Yeah," Emma said, shaking her head before looking up at them. "I'm okay. How are you doing? How's Henry?"

Mary Margaret and David were the neighbors who had been watching Henry the night of the accident. They were thankful - like everyone else - that Henry wasn't in the car with them. There would have been no way that he could have survived.

"Henry's okay." Mary Margaret looked down that the paper in Emma's hand. "Do you need to go see the lawyer?"

Emma quickly got up, making Mary Margaret and David back up. "Yeah, yeah, I'm suppose I do," she said, sort of in a daze. She's been in a daze since this whole mess started. She wondered if she would ever truly come out it.

"When?" David asked.

"Um, soon."

"You going now?"

"Um...I guess."

"I'll drive you," David suggested. Normally Emma would have objected, stating that she can obviously take her own car, but since she was so out of it, David driving would have been the smarter option.

When they pulled up in front of the law offices, Emma weakly thanked David before getting out. She opened the door and walked towards the correct offices before opening that one. When she walked into the waiting room, she saw the receptionist behind her desk and Killian Jones sitting on one of the hard chair, playing with his phone, a flask barely tucked behind his back. Emma didn't comment. Everyone deals with grief in their own way, and right now a drink sounded like a good idea.

When the receptionist saw Emma, she picked up the phone and called to the lawyer. He must have told her to tell them to come in, since when she hung up, she said to them, "You can go in." 

Killian and Emma looked at each other. "Which one?" Killian asked.

"Both of you. He's needs to speak to you both."

Emma wondered what precisely the lawyer needed both of them for, but she figured that she would find out soon enough. Killian let her walk in first before following.

The lawyer's office was spacious, even with the amount of furniture it had in it. He had at least five filing cabinets against the one wall and his desk sat in front of a row of windows. He had a couch and a coffee table sitting in the middle of the room, and in front of his desk sat two chairs. When he saw Emma and Killian, he gestured to them.

"Sit, sit," he said in a soft voice.

Once they were both seated, he introduced himself. "My name is Archie Hooper and I am Elsa and Liam Jones's lawyer. Do you know why you were both called here?" They both shook their heads. "Okay, well, I have their will here and it contains both of you." He took a deep breath before folding his hands on his desk. "Has Elsa or Liam told you what would happen to Henry in the unlikely event of both of them dying?"

Emma's fingers started fidgeting and her heart pounded. What was going to happen to him? "No," she muttered. Killian shook his head.

"Well," Archie continued, "they have both stated that the legal guardians of Henry K. Jones would be...you."

Silence. And then both Killian and Emma leaned forward in their chairs and spoke at the same time.

"What do you mean, 'you'? Like both of us?" Killian asked.

"There has to be misunderstanding somewhere," Emma replied.

Archie held up his hands. "I know this is confusing, and I tried to talk them out of it. Having two people who are not in any form of relationship raising a child...it's complicated. But they insisted that it had to be you. Both of you."

"But I'm his brother!" Killian spoke up with more passion than he had in a week. "It makes sense for me, but for _her_?"

As much as Emma wanted to smack Killian, he did have a point. Emma wasn't Elsa's true sister, that was Anna. So while it made sense for Killian to take responsibility for Henry, why Emma and not Elsa's actual sister?

"I love Henry just as much as you do," Emma hissed at him.

"But you're not his true aunt, love, no matter how you think otherwise," he replied.

Before Emma could so much as inhale a deep breath to fight back, Archie said, "Now, please. Let's be civil about this. Elsa and Liam have it in their will - _both_ of their wills that if something happened to both of them and they were unable to care for Henry, that--" The lawyer opened the will up to the right page and read it. "'Emma Swan and Killian Jones would be the legal guardians of Henry K. Jones.'" He looked up. "Of course you can think about it."

"How long do we have? To think about it," Killian asked. 

"24 hours."

"And then what?" was Emma's concern.

"Well, if you two both decide that you are not fit to take care of Henry, he would go to Elsa's younger sibling, Anna."

"She's only 22," Emma pointed out. "And still in college. She can't raise a _baby_."

"Well, it would be her decision. However, if Anna too feels that she is not fit enough to take care of Henry, he would go to social services."

"And be put into a foster home? No." Emma sat back and crossed her arms. "Henry is not going anywhere _near_ a foster house."

Killian raised an eyebrow at Emma's outburst, but otherwise said nothing.

Archie nodded. "I understand. But you have to also understand that if no one in his family wants him--"

"I want him," Killian interrupted.

Emma sat up straighter. "Me too. I want to take care of Henry."

Archie raised his eyebrows before saying, "I need you both to understand something of vital importance. Henry is not a toy. He is a living, breathing person who is only barely begun in life. This will not be easy. Being a parent is not an easy job and it is not for the faint of heart."

"Two seconds ago you're telling us to raise Henry, and now you're telling us not to?" Killian's eyebrows creased together. "I don't understand, mate, which is it?"

"I want to do what is best for Henry. Elsa and Liam felt that the two of you were capable of raising their child." Emma and Killian looked at each other from the corner of their eyes, but otherwise said nothing. It was definitely not a secret that Emma and Killian tolerated each other at best, and Elsa and Liam knew that. Why they would want to two people who can barely look at each other to raise their child was unbeknownst to them.

"How--How does this work?" Emma leaned forward. "Like...do we adopt him or...?"

"Well, they named you guardianship. So I just set up a court hearing to grant you temporary custody, and that's it.

"What if one of us wants to adopt him?" Killian asked.

"Well, that would be something that the two of you would need to work through. But, yes, if the judge rules that you, one of you, is capable of raising Henry, then you can adopt him. But let's not get ahead of ourselves." Archie looked at the two of them. They both looked so unsure of what was happening. Like two lost puppies trying to figure out a way home. "Can I make a suggestion? Maybe you two should move in, you know, until things get settled. They did, after all, leave you their house as well..."

"Wait what?" Emma asked.

"Live in their _house_?" Killian wanted to know.

"Oh, did I not mention that? You would be living in their place."

Emma's eyes opened wide. "We would live in their _house_?"

Archie nodded. "According to their will, except for a few personal items, everything belongs to the two of you. Their house, their cars, their furniture. Their finances would be used to cover anything for Henry, of course, and their life savings will help you a bit with the upkeep of this house. Their mortgage was paid off, so you two don't need to worry about that." He took a breath. "I think I covered everything. Now. What will your decision be? Will you two raise Henry or not?"

 


	3. Chapter 3

Emma and Killian walked out of the lawyer's office building, both in a quite of bit of shock.

She didn't know about Killian, but Emma's head was spinning. Just last week, she was an officer of the law, who could come and go in her apartment as she pleased, thinking nothing more than what groceries she wanted or how she was going to spend the evening with Walsh. Now she was a mother. She was going to take care of another person. Someone was going to rely on her for his basic needs.

She needed to sit down.

And some whiskey.

"We're going to be parents," Emma whispered.

"Yeah," Killian agreed. "And we don't even like each other."

"We're going to have to get over it," she replied taking out her phone to call David to come pick her up. "If we're going to raise Henry, we have to agree on some things."

"Like what's best for Henry."

"Exactly."

"You don't have to do this," Killian said, turning to look at her. "Henry is my family, my blood."

"You think that matters? Blood?"

He shrugged. "In this way it means that I have a legal responsibly and you don't."

"And you think you're going to be a great influence on him?" Emma asked, getting into his face. "With your drinking, and your job at the bar, and the hundred of women who walk through your life, not to mention your bedroom!"

"And what about you? Miss Nobody-Touch-Me-Because-I-Might-Get-Hurt Swan? I may enjoy the company of women, but at least I'm out in the field! You're so scared of getting hurt, you push everyone away! And one day, you'll do that to Henry too!"

"I would never push Henry away from me!" Emma yelled. She shoved her phone, call unmade, into her purse before balling her hands in fists. She was pressed so tightly, her palms were hurting from her nails.

"I owe everything to Elsa," Emma hissed at Killian. "I am _not_ giving up their child."

"Henry is my nephew!" Killian shouted back.

"And mine!"

"Not by blood!"

"Elsa wanted me to raise her son!" Emma yelled once more. Tears were gathering in her eyes, but she pressed on in a lower, but not less menacing, voice. "Elsa Jones saved my life, both figuratively and literally. And if her dying wish was for me to take care of her son, then I'll be damned if I turn her down. So you may not like it, Killian Jones, but until otherwise, I am not leaving this boy's side. He will _never_ be abandoned."

Killian was giving her an odd look. She couldn't quite place it. It was more than pity, it was almost like he saw a side of her that he had never noticed before. And she couldn't decided if that was a good thing or a bad one.

"Like you were," he replied softly.

That stops her up short. "What?"

"I saw you there," he said, nodding towards the building. Looking straight down at her, Emma was paralyzed under those baby blues. "I saw how defensive you got when you thought Henry would be entering the foster care system. It wasn't because you wanted to raise him, no. It was because you went through it. You were abandoned."

"You know nothing about me," she muttered.

He shrugged. "Alas, I do. Because you, love, are an open book. I'm sure if you would just let me, I would be able to read you perfectly."

"You think you are so smooth, don't you? I can promise you, Jones, you are never going to get close me."

"I didn't say I wanted to. I only said I could read you. Open book and all." With that, Killian nodded his head toward her direction before turning around and walking to his motorcycle.

Emma remained frozen for a few minutes, thinking about what he said. She wasn't an open book. It was just a lucky guess that he knew she was abandoned. Unlike some people, Emma did not wear her heart on her sleeve. He couldn't possibly know her, understand her thought process. No way.

Still frustrated, Emma took out her phone and dialed for Walsh instead.

 

~*~

 

As soon as Emma got into Walsh's car, she asked him to take her to the docks. She needed to think and that was her go-to spot. Walsh quietly did as she asked, though she could see him biting his lip, trying to stop himself from asking her what exactly was going on. Why was  she at the lawyer's office? Emma had no idea how she was going to explain that she was not only a mother now, but also going to live with another man.

They got out of the car and walked to the boardwalk. He couldn't wait any longer. "Emma, what is going on? Why were you at the lawyer's office? What happened?"

"I need to talk to you. Something...drastic just happened."

They found a bench and sat down. Walsh sat facing her, his knees just barely touching hers.

"Elsa and Liam...I was called to the office because of their will. Apparently..." She looked down at her hands, twisting them around. Taking a deep breath, she said, "They left their house, their cars, and...Henry. They left it all to me and Killian."

Walsh moved closer. "What do you mean...you're taking care of Henry now?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah." Tucking some hair behind her ear, she said, "Elsa and Liam made Killian and I Henry's legal guardians." The more she said it, the more real it became. At first it seemed like a dream, like a story that she had seen in a movie or read somewhere. But now it was settling in, making itself more and more realistic. She was actually doing this. She was actually going to raise her best friend's son.

"Did they tell you that they did this?"

Emma didn't look at him. Staring out at the ocean, hoping it would calm her down, she shook her head. "No."

"They should have."

"They didn't think anything was going to happen to them, Walsh. God, they were just starting off their life. And now they're...." Emma couldn't say the word. It sounded so final.

But Walsh knew what she was going to say anyway. "That's a lot of responsible for you. Is there someone else who could do it?" 

Turning her head sharply, she said "I don't want anyone else, Walsh. I _want_ to raise Henry."

"Raising a child is a lot of work, Emma. You'd have to cut back your hours, or maybe quit...."

"I've known Graham for years, I'm sure I can talk to him."  

"And where are you going to live?"

"In their house."

"Would you be okay with that?"

She shrugged. "I'm gonna have to be okay with it."

"And you mentioned a Killian? Who's she?"

Emma's eyes widen. She never told Walsh about Killian? At _all_? She must have, once or twice to complain, she was sure.

"That's Liam's younger brother."

"His younger...you're gonna live with another _guy_?!" Walsh sat back a little straighter, his eyes opened wide.

"That's part of the arrangement, yeah."

"Emma, are you sure about this? Maybe this Ian--"

"Killian," Emma corrected.

But he continued as though she didn't speak. "--Could do it without you. Or doesn't Elsa have a sister?"

"Well, yeah, but she's only 22 and in college and she's not ready to take care of a child."

"And you are?"

Emma could feel her walls going up. She let go of her deep breath as she said as calmly as she could, "Elsa wanted me to raise her kid. I'm gonna do it."

"Emma..."

"Do you doubt I could?"

"What? No, of course not, Emma. But you have to admit this is going to be a challenge. And I'm not sure I like you living with another man."

Emma sighed. "Walsh, Killian and I don't even like each other. But we both love Henry more than anything, so we're putting our personal feelings to the side in order to figure out what's best for Henry."

"What if you both live in your separate apartments and Henry splits his time with you guys?"

"No way. Henry is not going to go through any more changes. He's just lost his parents, he's not losing his house too."

"Emma..."

"You're not talking me out of this, Walsh. I'm doing it."

Walsh looked at her before nodding once. "If you need anything, anything at all, you call me, okay? Even if it's three o'clock in the morning."

"You might regret that, but thanks," Emma smiled.

 

~*~

 

The fact that Emma could fit all of her personal belongings into three small suitcases kind of depressed her. And the fact that she was moving into her best friend's house under dire circumstances did nothing to lighten her mood.

She was just staring up at the house when a motorcycle pulled into the driveway. Killian got off and looked over at her before giving a sort of smile/grimace. Whether he was thinking the same thing as her (that he was moving into his brother's house under horrible circumstances) or not, she wasn't sure. Maybe it was the fact that he now _lived_ with her that he hated. She didn't know and before she could ask him, the door flung open and Anna was standing there, Henry screaming on her hip.

"Oh thank God you're here. He will _not_ stop crying!" Anna ran out of the house and gave the screaming baby to Emma, who immediately dropped her bags to hold on to him. Emma began bouncing him gently, making cooing sounds. "I have tried everything to calm that kid down, but nothing works!"

Killian walked over and his face scrunched up. "Did you check his nappie?"

Anna cocked her head. "You mean did he take a nap? Because, yeah, he was sleeping but then he woke up and I thought 'Great! I'll tire him out for when Emma and Killian arrive' and we were playing and bouncing around and --"

"No, his nappie," Emma interrupted because Anna could go on and on. She reached to check, but she was positive that he went. Just like Killian, she could smell it. "His _diaper_."

"Oh, his _diaper_. No, I didn't check. Though now that you mention it, he does sort of smell. I just thought that how babies smell."

"Though I'll grant you that babies have a smell, smelling like shite is not it," Killian replied.

"Yeah, he went. I'm gonna go change him. Killian can you grab my stuff?" Emma asked, already heading towards the house.

"I'm gonna need your keys," he said.

Emma turned around. "Why?"

He gestured to her three bags. "Well, this can't possibly be it."

She stood straighter. "It is," she said curtly before marching inside with Henry sniffing into her long blonde hair.

When they reached his room on the second floor, Emma immediately headed towards his changing table. She had done this  a hundred times before, usually with Elsa sitting in the rocking chair in the corner, whispering about gossip she had heard.

But that rocking chair was empty now, and no one had gossip for her to hear. So, quietly, Emma changed Henry's diaper and put on new pants for him. He babbled at her, and though Emma didn't want to, she gave a small smile.

Picking Henry up, she held him tightly to her chest, breathing in his (nonpoop) smell. "It's going to be okay, Henry. You'll see. Everything will work out in the end."

If only she actually believed that.

 

~*~  


When Emma came downstairs with Henry, Killian was standing in the kitchen, at a loss of what to do next. Emma's bags sat stacked neatly by the stairs.

"So, um, what now?" he asked, when he heard her walk in with Henry.

"I don't...Did he eat?"

"I don't know."

"Didn't you ask Anna?"

"Anna got out of here as fast as she could. She barely said good-bye."

"Fine. So, um," she shifted Henry. After a few moments of silence, Emma said, "Why did Liam and Elsa always look like they were running around to help Henry, and we have no idea where to start?"

Killian scratched right behind his ear. "I have no idea, love--Emma! Emma, sorry. I know you don't like being called 'love.'"

Putting Henry down, Emma replied, "God, you remember that?"

"You don't forget getting yelled at during your first date."

"Our _only_ date."

"Aye," he chuckled. "Look at us now. Wouldn't have believe it, eh?"

"I wouldn't have believed it last week, let alone four years ago." They heard a thump and went running into the living room to see Henry pulling down Killian's bag off the couch. The bag wasn't overly heavily, but much more than he should have been able to pull.

"Strong lad, aren't ya?" Killian picked Henry up and swung him up onto his shoulders.

"Oh, Killian, be careful! He's not a doll!"

"He's not? I was certain he was," Killian said, holding onto Henry's tiny hands.

Emma shook her head before rolling it backwards. She could already feel the tension rising in her neck.

It was going to be a long seventeen years.

 

~*~

 

Two hours later, an exhausted Killian grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and walked into the living room. Henry was sleeping in his playpen and Emma was sitting on the couch, papers and books all around her.

Collapsing in a chair, Killian whispered, "We need to establish a schedule." Henry fell asleep only moments ago, and Killian did not need him to wake up. "Some kind of schedule, of any kind."

"Like a sleep schedule?" Emma asked, putting down one book and raising another to flip through.

"What?"

She looked up. "What?"

"What are you talking about?"

"A sleep schedule. For Henry. Apparently that's very important." She dropped the book she was holding and rubbed her face. Groaning she leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't even know where to begin."

"Let's start by making a schedule. You know, for nights off and when we have to work and things like that."

She looked over at him. "That's not a bad idea, Jones. I'll pick up a huge calendar tomorrow."

"When are you, or I if we're being honest, going to have the time to run to the store? Tomorrow's the funeral and Henry is going to be taking up most of our time. Which is why we need a schedule." Killian took a sip of his water.

Emma looked over at him with a critical eye. It made him nervous. "What?"

"You're organized? Like you keep schedules and stuff like that?"

"What? You don't?"

"Not really. I mean, I don't write them down. It's all up here," she said pointing to her head.

Sliding down in his chair, he said, "Let's just say if I don't write things down, I tend to be late to things."

"Like a date?"

He grinned. "Exactly."

"Hmm," she hummed before picking up her phone. "I'll order a calendar from Amazon. Since I have prime, it should be here in two days."

"Sounds good." He closed his eyes and only opened them when she asked, "Did they speak to you? About what would happen if they...?"

He looked over at her. He knew what she was asking. "No."

"Me neither. You would think that would be something they would mention along the way."

"When were they going to fit in it? 'Oh, Killian, did you see that soccer game last night? Wasn't that one hell of a kick? Oh, by the way, Elsa and I made you and Emma the legal guardians of Henry in case anything happened to us.' It's not something that you can just slip into an everyday conversation."

"And it's not something that just slips your mind." Emma shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, Killian, but we're in this together."

"Living together in this house, both sleep-deprived? That doesn't sound like a life, that sounds like an awful psych experiment."


	4. Chapter 4

The funeral was exhausting, to say the least.

Being Liam's only surviving relative, Killian had a lot of the work to do. That didn't mean that Emma didn't pinch in where she could, but she was focusing more on Henry. That didn't stop her from ordering the catering ("Why do we need to feed people, Emma, it makes no sense. Can't they just say they're sorry and leave us alone?"), to making sure that Killian and Henry had proper attire, to even checking over that both Liam and Elsa's plots were ready for them. That's not even including the gravestones, which Killian and Emma agreed should say their names, their lifespan, and  "Beloved mother, father, and friends" under their names.

But what Killian hated the most was the entertaining. It made no sense to him, something he kept commenting to Emma, who he was sure stopped listening to him. He just wanted to drink his rum and sit in misery for five minutes without all these people walking around Liam's house, commenting on how sorry they were. Oh, and Henry? How was the poor lad doing?

That made Killian want to scream all the more. Henry was fourteen months old, he had no bloody idea what in hell was going on right now. Or maybe he did, if his screaming at three o'clock in the morning was any indication.

"Killian," he heard someone say behind him. He would have groaned because he just found a nice quiet spot that had no mourners, babies, or feisty new roommates. But he knew that voice.

Turning around, Killian let out a breath. "Robin," he sighed before the two hugged. Robin Locksley, Killian's friend from college, and besides Liam, his best friend, patted him on the back before they parted.

 "I am so sorry, mate. So sorry for your lost. If there's anything I can do..."

"I know, mate. I know. It's just...A lot to take in right now."

"Of course." They were silent before Robin cleared his throat. "Um, I heard something about a baby..."

Killian nodded. "Yep. I have a child now."

Robin's eyes almost bugged out of his head. "Hook, oh man. That's...."

He didn't know how to finish that, but that was okay. Killian knew what he was trying to say. "I know."

"So what are you going to do?"

Killian shrugged. "Well, right now, we're gonna keep living here until we can figure out--"

Robin closed his eyes and held up a hand. "Wait, wait, wait." Opening his eyes and dropping his hand, he said, "What do you mean 'we'?"

Killian rubbed the back of his neck before dropping his hand. "You didn't hear the rest of it? Oh, mate, have I got a story for you."

While Killian was telling Robin about the latest development that was his life, Emma overheard people talking about how awful this all was and how was Henry going to grow up without his parents. Living in a house with two strange people would be so weird for him. He would surely need some kind of therapy.

Emma was holding onto the plate so tightly she was surprised it didn't snap under the pressure. She sure felt like _she_ was going to need therapy, just listening to these people who barely knew Henry and wouldn't be able to pick him out in a lineup of babies.

"Emma?"

She turned around to see her boss, Graham Hubert, looking down at her with that damn pity in his eyes.

Graham was a nice man, and one that she really didn't mind working with. God knows that the crimes in Storybrooke are minute at best, but he did have a way of making the boring interesting. And normally she wouldn't mind spending time with him.

But right now, right now she didn't need to see the tears in his eyes. Because Graham was someone who made her laugh. He shouldn't be crying. It's not what he does.

"I'm so sorry, Emma. Really I am. I--If you need anything, anything at all, please let me know."

"I...Yeah...Thanks."

Quickly turning around, Emma started heading towards the kitchen, the plate still barely holding it together in her hands.

When she stopped to lean against the wall for a moment, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Mary Margaret standing behind her, David just a little to the side. Mary Margaret gently took the plate out of Emma's hands and did something with it, Emma wasn't sure. Mary Margaret said something to David, Emma had no idea what, but the next thing she knew she was being guided to her bedroom.

"Henry..." Emma started to say as Mary Margaret closed the door.

"Is safe with David. He's fine." The petite woman turned to Emma. "My concern right now is how are you doing. You don't look so good."

"I'm fine."

Mary Margaret gave a sad smile. It was clear she didn't believe Emma. "How about we try this again. I'm going to ask you how you are and you'll give me an actual answer, okay? Now, how are you?"

Emma didn't answer. That said everything.

Mary Margaret wobbled over to Emma and sat beside her on the bed.  "I know I don't know you too well, Emma, but I do know a lost soul when I see one." She was quiet for a moment. Emma did nothing to fill the silence. Mary Margaret spoke up again. "I have no idea what you are going through. I won't pretend that I do. I've lost my parents, that is true, but I never had the added responsibility of another life on top of it. That, I think, is the hardest part in all of this. That now you suddenly have Henry. It's not just you anymore, huh? Now you have another mouth to feed. Another's interest at heart. That must feel overwhelming." Once more, Emma said nothing.

She didn't know what Mary Margaret expected. Emma wasn't the talk-about-your-feelings type, and even less so with people she'd had met only a handful of times before. Mary Margaret was always nice to her, that was true, long before any of this was happening. But Emma was a closed off person, only confiding her personal thoughts to one person.

And now that person is gone.

But Emma couldn't think about that. She had to be strong for Henry. She could carry on. For him. God knew it was going to be tough, but she had to be strong. She just had to be.

Bringing her back into the present, Mary Margaret was gently rubbing her shoulder. She didn't like to be touched, and normally would have shrugged it off, but it felt...comforting. Sure she had gotten a lot of hugs today (mostly from Anna, but those was hugs of sadness, not comfort). But Mary Margaret's touch was almost...Well, if Emma didn't know any better she would have said it was the touch of a mother. Never really having had a mother, she had nothing to compare it to, however.

After a moment, there was a knock on the door and David poked his head in, a crying Henry on his hip. "I so sorry, I don't mean to bother you. But he's crying, and I can't find Killian--"

Emma immediately stood up and reached out for Henry. "It's fine. Really." Taking him into her arms, she held him closely, her mouth at the crown of his head. "Could you guys leave us for a moment? I just need to regroup before heading back out."

Mary Margaret nodded before slowly getting up. As she reached the door, she turned back and said, "Emma, please listen. I know we don't know each other too well, but...We can help. Please let us help you and Killian."

Emma nodded, hugging Henry a little tighter. He wasn't crying anymore, which probably meant he just needed to be away from the crowd for a while. _You and me both, kid_.

Mary Margaret and David left, closing the door behind him. Emma sat down on her bed and sobbed quietly into Henry's soft brown hair.

 

~*~

 

The wake was painful, but it was finally over and Killian and Emma could finally move on with their lives.

Or so they thought.

Two weeks after the funeral, Killian thought he was going to pull his hair out. Henry wouldn't stop crying and Emma was ignoring Killian every chance she got. It wasn't at all what he pictured when he thought of having a family.

 _Which we're not_ , he reminded himself as Emma almost screamed at Henry when he spit out his mashed peas. Not that Killian could blame him; that smelt like shit, God knows what it tasted like. Instead of asking Killian for assistance or even just acknowledging that he was in the same room, Emma tried once more to get Henry to eat the mashed peas.

"Come on, Henry, just eat a little. I swear I'll get you all the chocolate you want, if you just eat _a little_ of the peas..."

But once more, he spit them out, crying because he was hungry and the peas tasted awful.

"He doesn't want them, Swan," Killian finally had to point out, though that much was obvious.

"Well, he has to eat _something_ and it's either this or smashed squash."

Killian looked around the kitchen, trying to figure out what he could give Henry before Emma completely lost her mind. Finally seeing something, he grabbed the tin of apple and banana flavored puffs and poured them out on the tray in front of Henry.

Henry looked down at them, his crying stopping instantly. He grabbed one with one chubby hand and put it in his mouth and smiled.

Emma looked up at Killian. He didn't know if she was thankful for that or if she wanted to kill him, making him eat something he wasn't supposed to. Either way, it got them a few minutes of quiet, and right now that was enough for him.

"You're welcome," he said before putting the tin on the table and walking towards the living room.  

He was sure that Emma was mad at him; wouldn't be the first time he felt those icy green eyes in his direction. But he couldn't just let Henry scream when a simple change in his diet would be all that he needed. He wasn't going to die from eating those puffs. He knew eventually Emma would thank him, though he knew better than to hold his breath.

He just got comfortable on the couch when the doorbell rang. Groaning with frustration, Killian got up and opened the door to find a pretty brunette on the other side. She was shorter than Killian, even though she was in heels, with a soft face and big blue eyes.

"Hello!" she said with an accent, though he wasn't sure where in Europe she was from. "I'm Belle Gold. I'm from the Child Protective Services. I'm here to talk about Henry Jones."

Killian almost slammed the door in her face. _Oh crap_. He forgot all about this. Child Protective Services wanted to make sure that Emma and he were doing a good job raising Henry, otherwise there were going to take him away from them. Liam's lawyer had mentioned that part, Killian was sure of it. However, he was so dazed with the idea that he suddenly became like a father-figure to Henry that he didn't really retain any of it.

He suddenly couldn't remember if he (because let's be honest, Emma was not a neat person) cleaned up recently. It had been weeks since anyone was over, and he suddenly couldn't remember if he put away Henry's toys. Or where they scattered all over the floor, waiting for someone to trip over them?

"Er, Mr. Jones? Are you okay?"

Shaking his head lightly, Killian gave a fake smile. "Aye. Of course. Where are my manners? Come in, please."

He suddenly felt like a high schooler sent to the headmaster's office (a feeling that he hasn't felt in a _long_ time) and he wasn't sure why. It wasn't like he or Emma did something they weren't suppose to do, like drink excessive amounts of alcohol or smoke something illegally. Other than a bit of a mess, they were fine.

"Killian? Who is--Oh. Hello." Emma came into the hallway, Henry on her hip. He was munching on something, and Killian was pretty sure it was Emma's hair.

Belle turned to Emma. "Ah, you must be Ms. Swan."

"I am," Emma said hesitantly, looking at Killian before looking back at Belle.

"I'm Belle Gold from Child Protective Services."

"Oh! We, er, we weren't expecting you."

Belle gave a small chuckle. "That's why we call them surprise visits!"

"Oh. Right, yes, of course. Um, so..." Emma obviously didn't know where to begin, and Killian felt so nervous all of a sudden. He was terrified that she would find something wrong with them and take Henry away. Henry was the only thing he had left of his brother; they couldn't take him away too!

Belle must have noticed the look on their faces because she smiled softly and suggested, "Why don't we start with a look around the house, shall we?"

"Yes!" Killian shouted, making Emma give a small jump. "Excellent idea, wonderful. Why don't I do that? Come, I'll show you around."

Killian was working on automatic, not really sure what was coming out of his mouth. He showed her the first floor, that contained the kitchen, living room, dining room, a bathroom, and what Liam had referred to as his "man cave," which overlooked the spacious backyard and had a pull out bed couch and a television in it, along with the books he loved. This was the room he was sleeping in, and Killian was thankful that he put his clothes away yesterday.

The second floor had the bedrooms, which was the master suite (neither of which Emma or Killian had set foot in), the guest room (which was where Emma was sleeping), a bathroom, and Henry's room. Everything looked neat, yet a tad bit messy. Obvious that people lived there but it wasn't a disaster. Killian was satisfied.

When they came back into the living room, Emma was playing with Henry on the floor, pressing buttons from some toy that Killian actually gave him for his first birthday. He wanted to find the most annoying toy, the toy that played a thousand different noises and talked all day. Well, of course it was now Killian who was stuck with it.

Karma really was a bitch.

Emma looked up as Killian and Belle walked in. Killian could tell that Emma had no idea what that toy did that she was currently playing with. Probably just wanted to look busy for when they returned.

"Now, Ms. Swan, Mr. Jones, if you could both join me at the table, I would love to have a conversation with you."

Belle got situated on one side of the table and Emma, carrying Henry, and Killian on the other. They sat with some distance apart, which Killian didn't take notice of until later.

"Now," Belle said, taking out a pad of legal paper and a pen. She clicked the top. "If you could please tell me a little about yourself." They were both silent. Belle sighed. "I'm not the bad guy here."

"You might as well be," Emma muttered darkly.

Belle put her pen down with a sigh. "Look, I have to report facts, that's all. If you want the truth, right now I see nothing wrong with Henry and his life here. He's well taken care of, I could see that the moment you walked in before, Ms. Swan. But I do need some background information on the two of you. If it makes you feel any better, I'm just checking to see if you are prostitutes or drug dealers."

"I'm the Deputy Sheriff," Emma stated. Belle nodded and picked up her pen, writing it down. "I, er, work with Graham Humbert, the Sheriff."

"Is that a dangerous job, Ms. Swan?"

"If I lived in New York, then yeah. But here? In Storybrooke, where the biggest crime is a petty robbery? No, not too dangerous."

"Do you work nights?"

"Occasionally."

Belle wrote that all down. Killian noted that Emma was holding onto Henry tightly and gave a small smile. The Queen Bitch had emotions after all. Except for the night of the accident, Emma hasn't shed one tear that Killian has seen. Granted, he didn't like crying in front of people, and often let his feelings about this whole situation out at night. But still. Not one tear? He wondered how high those walls of hers were.

"And you Mr. Jones? What do you do?"

"I'm a mechanic. At the docks. I fix the boats."

Emma snapped her head looking at him. "I thought you were a bartender?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "I was. Four years ago. Now I'm mechanic."

Emma went to comment, but instead bit her lip. She faced Belle again.

"Great. Now, one more question before I go. This is a bit awkward, so please bare with me. This...situation is more complicated than usual. Usually in a situation like this, the people who get the custody of a child are family members." She put up a hand when Killian opened his mouth. "I'm aware that you Liam Jones' brother, Mr. Jones. My point is this: people who get custody of a child usually are in some form of relationship. Now if I understand this correctly, except for the fact that your brother," she said looking at Killian. "And your best friend," she turned to Emma, "were married, you have no connection between the two of you, correct?"

"Er, well, yes," Emma stated.

"That's correct," Killian added.

"Now, this is the embarrassing part." She took a deep breath. "Are you two sleeping together?"

"What?! No!" Emma shouted.

"Absolutely not!" Killian yelled.

Belle held up her hands. "I'm sorry. I just had to check. Do either of you have romantic or...well, lustful feelings for the other?"

"No!" Killian yelled again.

"Why are you asking these questions?"

"Because, Ms. Swan, sex makes things complicated. Even when you're _not_ having it, it's complicated. What we want is to make sure that Henry stays away from such complications. Let's face it, his life has not been easy and he's barely begun. I noticed that when I came in here, things were....well, cool between the two of you. Not in a bad sense," she rushed to say when Emma and Killian looked at each other. "But more in the sense that perhaps you two are a bit over your heads." She closed her pad with a loud snap, making both Emma and Killian jump. "If you two don't have any more questions, I'll see you soon."

"How many more times do you come to visit us?" Killian asked as they stood up.

"Two more times. The last one is when I decide if you two are a good for Henry. That's usually by the end of the first year. Bye! Nice meeting you!"

Without being escorted out, Belle walked out of their kitchen and the house. For the time being.

Emma leaned forward, one elbow down on the table, hand rubbing her head as Killian scratched the back of his head. She took a deep breath before saying, "Well, that's over with."

Killian nodded. "Yep."

They were silent before Emma blurted, "Did she need to know about our relationship? Seems a bit personal to me."

"She needs to know that we're a good match for Henry. Remember, that's what's important."

"Of course I know that!" she snapped.

He gave a sad chuckle. "And I wondered why she thought we were cold to each other. We must have looked miserable in her eyes!"

"Oh, shut it, Jones," Emma growled before storming away.

It was Killian's turn to lean on the table. "Cool, indeed."


End file.
